Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, Icon of Nigerian Civil Service, Dies

Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, known as 'Triple A,' passed away in Abuja on [exact date not provided] after battling illness. He was a significant figure in the Nigerian civil service, rising through the ranks to serve in various capacities, including Executive Secretary of the FESTAC ‘75 International Secretariat, Permanent Secretary in multiple ministries, and Minister of State for Budget and Planning in 1984.

He later served as Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 1988 to 1990 and was appointed Nigeria's High Commissioner to the UK in 1992, a position he held until his retirement in 1996. Alhaji Abubakar was educated in Nigeria and the UK, where he lived at Buckingham Palace while studying.

He was a Knight of the British Empire, awarded in 1989, and was influential in the northern power block known as the 'Kaduna Mafia.' His extensive career made him a key advisor to various regimes, both civil and military.